Science, Technology and Society Major

Requirements for the Major

The requirements for the major involve a minimum of 12 courses distributed as follows:

1. Four “science and technology practice” courses (science and/or engineering). STS is about knowledge-making practices, so students should experience those practices directly; laboratories and mathematics are especially significant in producing scientific knowledge, and therefore important “ways of knowing” that students should experience in the process of learning about a particular scientific or engineering field.

1. One semester of mathematics at the level of first-semester calculus or higher. This requirement may be filled by a comparably advanced course in statistics or principles of computing, e.g., MATH 052 PZ -Introduction to Statistics , MATH 058 PO -Introduction to Statistics   
2. One semester of a laboratory science.
3. Three of the courses must be in 1 field, count toward a major in that field, or be prerequisites to courses that count toward a major in that field, except that, if the field is Mathematics, MATH 025 PZ -Precalculus  does not meet this requirement.

2. Four “context and theory” courses

These courses explicitly examine science and technology as social institutions, and explore the theories, concepts, and methods one encounters in doing so.

1. Two historical studies courses from
   STS 080 PO -History of Science: Science and Technology in the Ancient and Medieval Worlds. ,
   HIST 081 HM -Science and Technology in the Early Modern World: History of Science, Renaissance to 1800  ,
   HIST 082 HM -Science and Technology in the Modern World   
2. One philosophy of science course from
   PHIL 007 PO -Discovery, Invention and Progress ,
   PHIL 103 PO -Philosophy of Science: Historical Survey  or
   PHIL 104 PO -Philosophy of Science: Topical Survey   
3. One “social science approaches” course from
   STS 010 HM -Introduction to Science, Technology and Society ,
   POLI 139 PO -Politics of Community Design ,
   POLI 149 PO -Techno Politics and Policy , or
   ANTH 111 HM -Introduction to the Anthropology of Science and Technology   

3. Three “concentration” courses

Courses listed in the STS section of the course schedule that relate to the student’s focus in science and/or engineering practice, selected with approval of the advisor. One of these courses may be replaced with a senior thesis. (Note: Completing a senior thesis with distinction is required to be nominated for ‘Honors in Science, Technology & Society’ upon graduation.) This requirement helps students develop their individual interests. Students might concentrate In a type of STS issue such as a technological controversy, policy problem, or application; or they might seek depth in a cognate discipline (philosophy, anthropology, etc.). These courses should be in addition to the courses in requirements in #1 and #2 above.

4. STS 190 PO STS 190 PO -Senior Integrative Seminar